


With You

by FemslashFetale



Series: Femslash February 2019 [5]
Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, being in the closet in the fifties sucks, the closet sucks, the fifties suck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-24 22:51:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17713163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FemslashFetale/pseuds/FemslashFetale
Summary: “So, what do you say we get out of here and-.”“Excuse me.”Therese could have cried in relief.Robert turned to see Carol standing behind him, a cold smile on her face. “I believe you're making her uncomfortable.”





	With You

**Author's Note:**

> Fun fact I thought this was going to end up being kinky porn with like choking and stuff but it decided it wanted to be fluff instead and I mean who am I to argue. Hope you guys enjoy!

“Therese!”

 

Therese smiled, wrapping her arms around her best friend. “Hi, Dannie.”

 

“You look great!”

 

Therese rolled her eyes, stepping back slightly. “I look how I always look.”

 

Dannie winked. “Which is great.”

 

Therese heard a chuckle behind her a moment before she felt an arm wind around her waist. “I must agree with him, angel.”

 

Dannie opened his arms again. “Carol!”

 

“Hello, Daniel,” she said, embracing him lightly and placing a friendly kiss on each of his cheeks.

 

He gave her a mock glare. “I told you to call me Dannie.”

 

She raised an eyebrow, lowering her voice. “And I told you to stop hitting on my girl.”

 

He chuckled, extending his arm to escort her. “Would it help if I hit on you too?”

 

Carol hummed, making a show of inspecting Dannie’s arm. “No, I don’t think it would.”

 

“Ouch,” he clutched at his chest. “I definitely need some booze to take the sting outta that.” He moved to the side, motioning them in the doorway. “I guess you guys might as well have some too.”

 

Carol and Therese entered the apartment, automatically taking an extra step apart. They waved at a small group of people sitting on the couch, Carol immediately and effortlessly inserting herself into their conversation, perching on the arm of the couch. Therese watched from across the small living room, sitting demurely in a chair against the wall. She watched as Carol threw her head back, laughing at whatever joke had been just told. Therese would always marvel at Carol’s ability to be utterly charming no matter the situation. While Therese sometimes found it difficult to interact with people she  _ knew _ , Carol could strike up a conversation with anyone. The woman never met a stranger. That wasn’t to say that Carol was overtly friendly, not at all. Therese had seen Carol give a cashier the stink eye for counting her change incorrectly. When a man tried to hit on Carol during a train ride she refused to even acknowledge his presence. Carol could be downright rude when she wanted to, which was why Therese had been worried when Dannie had invited them to his house party tonight. But it seemed she had worried for nothing. 

 

Therese couldn’t help but stare at her girlfriend. She flexed her hands, wishing she could do more than stare. She watched Carol pause, stumbling slightly over her sentence. She turned her head, their gazes drawn together almost like magnets. Carol gave her a small smile, tossing a wink her way. Therese couldn’t help but blush. She tried to muster the courage to wink back, but couldn’t quite manage it. Instead she lifted her hand slightly, wiggling her fingers in a meager wave. Carol turned back to her conversation, picking up the thread without pause.

 

Therese slumped in her chair, letting out a heavy exhale.

 

“That’s quite a big sigh coming from such a little lady.”

 

Therese looked up, taking in the man looming over her chair. She sat up straighter, bringing her hands to her lap. “Oh, well... I’m sorry?”

 

The guy laughed. “That’s okay.” He smiled down at her, straight white teeth gleaming. He had thin lips, framed by a square jaw and cheeks that showcased deep dimples. His mop of wavy black hair fell in front of his blue eyes, causing him to flip it out of his face. He held out a bottle. “Dannie was coming to give this to you.”

 

She took the beer, looking down at it as she started to pick at the label. “Then why why are you giving it to me?”

 

“He was carrying a bunch of drinks and I figured he could use a hand.” He leaned his forearm against the wall above Therese’s head, hunching over her. “And I wanted an excuse to introduce myself.” He held out his hand. “I’m Robert.” He smiled again. “I don’t let people call me Robbie, but for a cutie like you I’d make an exception.”

 

Therese swallowed, sliding down in her seat. “O-okay.”

 

“What’s your name, sweetheart?”

 

“Therese.”

 

“Ooh,  _ Therese _ . Sounds all exotic.”

 

Therese winced. She regretted giving him her name. The way he said it sounded...weird. Wrong, even. His voice didn’t caress the syllables, his tongue didn’t catch on the  _ t _ properly, he didn’t say her name as if it were precious- as if  _ she _ were precious. 

 

“So,” Robert said, “how do you know Dannie?”

 

Therese shrugged. “We work together.”

 

“Oh, you’re a secretary at the Times? That’s cute.”

 

Therese glared down at her bottle, tearing the label into long, thin, horizontal strips. “I just transferred to the photography department.”

 

“What type of stuff do you file there?”

 

“I don’t file anything. I’m a photographer.”

 

Robert laughed. “Really? Are they, like, understaffed or something?”

 

Therese watched the pieces of paper flutter to the ground. “No.”

 

“Well,” Robert stood up straight, taking one of Therese’s hands. “I got a job down at one of the plants, so you wouldn’t have to worry your pretty little self about  _ work _ .”

 

Therese froze. His hand was large, dwarfing hers. His hold was firm, not quite tight or painful, but constricting in a way that made Therese’s palm sweat. He was tall and broad, taking up her entire view. She leaned back in her chair, her shoulders hitting the wall behind her. She gulped.

 

“So, what do you say we get out of here and-.”

 

“Excuse me.”

 

Therese could have cried in relief.

 

Robert turned to see Carol standing behind him, a cold smile on her face. “I believe you're making her uncomfortable.”

 

Robert chuckled, flicking his hair out of his face again. “I believe this is none of your business.”

 

Carol’s posture became rigid. Therese could see her tongue poking against the inside of her cheek. “Therese  _ is _ my business.”

 

Robert turned back to Therese. “What, you bring your mom to the party?”

 

Color flooded Carol’s cheeks. “I am  _ not _ her mother!”

 

Robert turned around fully, standing over Carol. “Then get off her case. We were having a nice conversation.”

 

“I’d hardly call you pawing and salivating over her a  _ conversation _ .”

 

Dannie came over, brow furrowed. “Hey, what’s goin’ on here? People are startin’ to stare.”

 

Robert pointed at Carol. “This lady is messing up my game!”

 

“Your game?” Dannie peered around Robert, seeing Therese for the first time huddled in her chair, gaze cast downwards and shoulders hunched up around her ears. Dannie glared at Robert. “Not cool, Rob. I told you not to mess with her.”

 

“What do you care?” Robert’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit, this is your girl, isn’t it? I’m sorry, Dannie I didn’t realize.”

 

Dannie grunted. “Listen, Rob, maybe you should go.”

 

“No,” Carol said, grasping Therese by her elbow. “We’re going.” She tugged at Therese’s arm. “Come on.”

 

Therese stumbled after Carol, hurriedly placing her beer on the floor. Neither of them bothered to wave goodbye to their friends as they left. They stalked down the street, the click of Carol’s heels deafening in the silence of the night. The city that never slept seemed stagnant around them, as if the entire city knew to hide from Carol’s wrath. Therese shuffled behind her, not daring to look up. Carol threw her hand out, flagging down a taxi that was heading their way. She gave the address to Therese’s apartment, sitting back in her seat with her arms crossed. She and Therese stared out of opposite windows the entirety of the tense ride, not a single word passing between them. Carol said her first words since leaving the party once they were inside of the apartment.

 

“I need a cigarette.”

 

Carol tramped into the kitchen, pulling a loose cigarette out of one of the drawers. She turned on the stove, pressing the end of it against the burner. She took her first drag, turning the stove off. She sighed heavily, turning to lean against the counter. Therese watched from the doorway, hands fidgeting in front of her. Her heart pounded.

 

“I…I’m sorry.”

 

Carol looked up, as if surprised that Therese was there. “You’re sorry?”

 

Therese nodded. “I should have told him to go away. I should have gotten out of the chair. I should have slapped him or kicked him or,” Therese broke off, clenching her eyes shut. “Please don’t be mad at me.”

 

She heard Carol move towards her, the footsteps stopping right in front of her. Therese flinched when she felt a hand on her jaw.

 

“Angel,” Carol said softly, “open your eyes.”

 

Therese opened them slowly, gasping when she saw a tear track its way down Carol’s face.

 

“Oh, dearest, I am not mad at you. I’m not even mad at atht Rob fellow. How could I blame him for being attracted to you?” She gave a trembling smile, tracing her fingers down Therese’s cheek. Her expression became stormy. “I’m mad because there was nothing I could  _ do _ .”

 

Therese furrowed her brow. “What?”

 

Carol stepped back, bringing her cigarette to her lips. “Seeing him talking to you,  _ touching _ you, and knowing that I couldn’t go over there and set him straight.” She took a ragged breath, coughing out smoke on her exhale. “That i couldn’t pull you into my arms and show him that you were mine. I couldn’t even tell him.” Carol let out a near hysterical laugh. “He called me your  _ mother _ .” She turned away, throwing a hand in the air. “Then fucking  _ Dannie _ tells him to stop and he just  _ assumes _ that you're together.” Therese heard Carol sniff. “It makes me so angry that I can’t be there for you in those situations. That I can’t be  _ with _ you in those situations.” She threw her cigarette in the sink, her body seeming to deflate after the aggressive gesture.

 

Therese stood frozen, breathless with emotion. In that moment she wanted nothing more than to hug her partner. And for the first time that night she didn’t have to squash that urge. There were no suspicious eyes, no curious gazes. They didn’t have to settle for brushing hands or sneaking off to a secluded stairwell for a brief peck. They were in their home, their haven. Therese could hug Carol whenever she wanted.

 

So she did.

 

Therese wrapped her arms around Carol’s waist, resting her head on Carol’s shoulder blades. “You’re with me now,” she whispered. “Not Robert, not Dannie.” She squeezed slightly. “You.” She placed a kiss on the back of Carol’s neck. “And you’re the only one I want with me. It does suck not being able to tell people how we feel. But you know how much I love you, right?”

 

Carol let out a breath, something like a chuckle mixed with a sob escaping. She turned, placing her hands on Therese’s shoulders. “Yes, I do. Do you know how much I love you?”

 

Therese nodded, a gentle smile spreading on her face. “A whole lot?”

 

Carol giggled, leaning forward to whisper against Therese’s lips. “A whole lot indeed.” 

 

Their kiss was languid and unhurried. They had plenty of time in the world they created for themselves behind closed doors. Here they could not only be lovers, but they could just be in love. In each other’s arms they forgot about the Roberts of the world, their only focus on where their bodies connected. 

 

Carol pulled away, a wicked smirk accompanying a darkened gaze. “If only Robert knew,” she husked. 

 

Therese clutched at Carol’s hips, gaze trained to her girlfriend’s mouth. “Who’s Robert?”


End file.
